~ Ponderings of a Professional Makeup Artist

You know, I have been working in the film industry for 20 years now and it seems that I am always discovering new things that have been right in front of me the whole time.

Working in the Makeup Dept. of any show can be very rewarding and fun but it also comes with all the politics of the current election! When did getting a job not depend on your skills as much as it does who you know and who likes or dislikes you personally? I have worked with a great many artists over the years and just as the industry has grown and changed a great deal since I started, so have all the people in it! Now artists are human beings too and human beings make mistakes. Whether it is personally or professionally, we all have done various things we wish we could take back but, that is a part of growth, in other words, life. The key is whether you can accept and forgive all the mistakes you made and the mistakes of others. Years ago, I worked with an artist who “didn’t play well with others” so when she recently called me to work with her, I couldn’t imagine doing it but, someone told me that she was very different now and changed her life for the better. Well how can I expect people to acknowledge that I have changed if I don’t do the same for others? The past is the past and it should remain there. No one is above forgiveness and no one is without fault. In an industry that seems so tightly knit, I would hope that my fellow crew members all remember that and I as well.

Guess that is enough “heavy’ subject matter for this entry. Will write more funny stuff next time! Promise! Stay tuned!

Well, it has been awhile since I have posted. I guess this is more for me than anyone else because nobody but me reads it! Oh well…. I discovered something interesting the other day when I was reading the ingredients on my moisturizer bottle. It has coffee in it! Now, back in the day, the only thing we could find with caffeine in it was eye cream from MAC. It helped on the set when actors had partied too much the night before. It got rid of the circles and puffiness under the eyes instantly! Now there are lots of products with caffeine and other cures for the “hangover morning”. I guess what surprised me was that this was a moisturizer from Trader Joe’s! It is called Nourish and it is oil free and fragrance free. It has a plethora of great natural ingredients including coffee! The thing that drew me to it is the fact that you can use it all over your face and neck and even all around your eyes and it doesn’t irritate them or sting. When I have an early call time, I need it to make me look awake and fresh. It is only 6 bucks but works like 50 bucks! Next time you are in Trader Joe’s, check it out!

Recently, I was working on a little movie here is Big D and the actresses inspired me to write my next entry. This one is for the lovely lady in the BIG green polka dot dress! Let me start by saying that all the ladies were very sweet and had many questions about makeup. So, I guess I should answer all the questions here. First, we talked about mascara again and I should reiterate what I said in my earlier blog. Maybelline is the first to make mascara and they are the best. Colossal in glam black is my fav. Next was using eye shadow as eye liner. I used a small angled brush and Chanel eye shadow in Nightlight black. The look we were going for was late eighties when the kohl rimmed eye was in style. The softness of the powder gave each lady that smoky, slightly winged out eye. A steady hand and blending are the key to this look. What I had forgotten about the eighties is all the lip gloss! MAC lipglass is the best for that look. Always have some in your arsenal! Guess that is about it. I always enjoy working on a film that is another time period. Thanks to the girls of the show for inspiring me to write this!

Ok so I finally gave in and tried a BB cream. I had a coupon and it was on sale! Those of you who know me, know that is the quickest way to get me to try something new! Anyway, I picked up Revlon Photoready BB Cream. I got the light/medium shade for me. Well, for those mornings I have to get up at 3am and go to work, this is the answer to not wearing makeup but not looking like you got up at 3am! It comes in a flat tube so it is easy to squeeze out just what you need, which is very little. I put it on after I wash my face and it makes my skin look amazing without a face of makeup. You can put it only where you need it since there is no line of demarcation. It gives your skin that soft, perfected look. It is extremely lightweight and for these Dallas summers when it is 105, it has an spf of 30! So, perfect skin, hint of color, spf 30……….hmmm, what’s not to like? For summer, this is the ticket! My next adventure will be with the newest cream called CC cream. It is like BB cream only it has ingredients that are supposed to actually improve your skin while giving it that same perfected look. We shall see…………….

Well, it has been a long while since I have written anything here but I thought I should tell you what I have known for a long time and never thought to write down. Baby wipes are fabulous makeup removers! I have used them on the set to clean off everything from blood and guts to mascara and lipstick! They are so much cheaper than your average “facial cleansing cloths”. Those are 5 or 6 bucks a pack and baby wipes are a couple of bucks for three times as many! The best ones are Huggies Natural Care because they have no fragrance and no crap in them to irritate skin. Hey, they are made not to harm babies so, they certainly won’t hurt you! They really clean all your makeup off and don’t dry your skin out. The goofy print on the box shouldn’t discourage you from throwing some in your shopping cart. Just do it and save some green!

I am currently working on a film called”One Heart” and I am reminded how great my job really is. Eventhough the “up and down” life is not for everyone, it is the best life I know. Sure, the uncertainty of where your next job will come from is a bit unnerving but when you are working, you remember why this is the career you chose. I am still in awe of the movie making process and love watching it all come together at the hands of a very talented crew! Now I want to say here and now that this is not a glam life. We are out there filming in the heat, rain, snow, cold and in the middle of the night. We get sweaty, wet, frozen and dirty doing the job. Hours are long (12-14hrs) and I have never been so tired in my life. But as I am driving home from the set, I can’t help but think I am the luckiest girl to do what I love and love what I do. I wish that for everyone. Go find your passion and do it!

Hey girls, it is getting to be that time of year again when all the Halloween makeup is out and cheap! Go get some! This is the time when I like to buy all that stuff and experiment with ideas that have been brewing in my creative mind. Recruit your friends to be your models and take lots of pictures. I will be doing some cool stuff with some of my friends and I will post pics of the before and after. Julie and Nicole, get ready for some fun! Let me know if you all find some cool makeup and where. Yay! or should I say BOO!